Yemen, U.S. Sign Military Cooperation Pact

November 11, 2009 4:00 p.m. EST

Sanaa, Yemen (AHN) - The U.S. and Yemen have signed a military and security cooperation agreement in Sanaa after officials from both countries concluded two days of talks.

The U.S. embassy in Yemen declined to confirm the agreement reported by the local media as being signed Tuesday, only admitting there were talks about counterterrorism. The embassy spokeswoman, Debrah Smith, said Brigadier General Jeffrey Smith, the commander of the U.S. 5th Signal Command, was present in the talks.

The U.S.-Yemen agreement came as Yemen's armed forces battle Shiite rebels in the country's northern region. Soldiers from Saudi Arabia are also battling the Houthis rebels near the border with Yemen.